Bolivia’s largest union, the Bolivian Workers’ Central (COB), confirmed the strike planned for this Monday against the decree that eliminates fuel subsidies, despite agreements reached by the government with other sectors to avoid the protest.
“We will not back down, we will not negotiate without the consent of our people, we will not betray the trust placed in us to lead this protest movement,” said the top leader of the COB (Bolivian Workers’ Central), Mario Argollo.
The union leader denied, in a video, an alleged pact with the government of Rodrigo Paz aimed at calling off the protests and demonstrations scheduled for the early hours of December 22.
The Bolivian Workers’ Central (COB) begins mobilizations and an indefinite strike this Monday in rejection of Decree 5503.
“We want to send this message to the central government: think, reflect on this arbitrary and dictatorial measure that you have taken and that currently has the Bolivian people in suspense,” Argollo emphasized.
Mario Argollo stated that Decree 5503 only benefits “a privileged, business, and bourgeois sector,” and therefore called on various social sectors to “join” the protest, which he reiterated is not political in nature.
Decree 5503, issued last Wednesday by Rodrigo Paz, ends more than 20 years of fuel subsidies.
The measure set gasoline prices at 6.96 bolivianos (one dollar) per liter for regular, 11 bolivianos (1.58 dollars) for premium, and 9.80 bolivianos (1.40 dollars) for diesel, among others.
This represents an 86 percent increase for gasoline and a 162 percent increase for diesel compared to the subsidized price that had been in effect for more than two decades.
IMAGE CREDIT: “We will not back down, we will not negotiate without the consent of our people, we will not betray the trust placed in us to lead this protest movement,” said the COB’s top leader. Photo: @izquierdadiario
[ SOURCE: teleSUR ]
